Liu Bei led an army of 25,000 to leave Xinye.

He left 10,000 defenders in Xinye Castle and handed them over to Mi Zhu's command.

The mighty army marched north.

Before the war, Liu Bei indicated that he was going to attack Cao Shuo, but he led the army to bypass the Lujiang River and march towards Yuzhou.

Liu Bei's route to march was quickly mastered by Huo Wu.

Two days later, the news reached Pang Tong in Anhui City.

Sitting in the room, after listening to the report of Huo Wu, Pang Tong asked Lu Bu and Wei Yan, who were seated: "Two generals, Liu Bei led the army to bypass the Lujiang River and go to the direction of Yuzhou, what do you think he has planned?" ”

"Won't he be willing to go far and want to take Xudu?" Wei Yan frowned and said: "Cao Gong has tens of thousands of elite soldiers under his command, with his few men, how can he be Cao Gong's opponent?" ”

"I think Liu Xuande is killing himself." Lu Bu also said: "Although Lujiang has a lot of elite soldiers, it cannot be compared with Xu Du. If it were me, I would definitely attack Lujiang first, and gradually advance until I took Shouchun. ”

Listening to the analysis of the two, Pang Tong nodded silently.

Lu Bu asked him, "What does Shi Yuan think?" ”

"My opinion is simple." When Lu Bu asked, Pang Tongcai said: "Liu Bei knows that it is impossible to take Shouchun, and he also knows that if he attacks Lujiang, he will definitely start a decisive battle with our army, and he is likely to return in advance." So he led his troops to Yuzhou first, trying to get some benefits there, and then returned to Xinye. ”

"Return to Shinno?" Lu Bu and Wei Yan were both stunned, and Lu Bu asked again, "Then what's the point of him sending troops this time?" ”

"It's just to delay the Cao family and leave a respite for the Yuan family." Pang Tong said: "Liu Xuande didn't think about what he wanted to do with the Cao family, his purpose was to give the Yuan family time, and use this time to persuade Yuan Tan, Yuan Shang and the Cao family to fight to the end." ”

Pang Tong gave a statement, Lu Bu and Wei Yan both seemed to understand it.

Just when Lu Bu wanted to ask, a guard came to the door: "Qi Qi Pang Gong, General Zhao is here to supervise the grain." ”

"Quickly invite General Zhao to come in and speak." Pang Tong hurriedly instructed the guards.

The guards left, and Pang Tong smiled and said to Lu Bu and Wei Yan: "I didn't expect General Zhao to come so soon. ”

"Zilong transported grain and grass from Shouchun to Wancheng, the journey was not very far, and there was no need to worry about someone daring to rob the grain, of course it would come soon." Lu Bu said: "Don't say that there are no thieves under the rule of Gongzi, just the name of Changshan Zhao Yun, even if there are thieves, they don't dare to show their heads." ”

Lu Bu was praising Zhao Yun, and a voice came from outside the door: "General Lu praised me like this, I don't dare to be it." ”

"General Zhao!" Zhao Yun entered the house, and Pang Tong hurriedly got up.

Lu Bu and Wei Yan also stood up.

"The last general came here to supervise the grain on the order of the prince, and it has been delivered just now." Zhao Yun said when he met the servants.

"General Zhao worked hard!" Pang Tong gestured and said, "Please sit down and speak." ”

Everyone sat down, and Pang Tong said to Zhao Yun: "Just now, the two generals and I were still talking about Liu Xuande. ”

"I heard that he didn't come to Lujiang." Zhao Yun said: "It seems that I went to Yuzhou." ”

"General Zhao also got the news?" Pang Tong asked.

"To supervise the transportation of grain and grass, of course, you must clearly grasp the enemy's movements." Zhao Yun said: "I sent a lot of scouts along the way, and some even entered Jingzhou and found out the route of Liu Bei's march. ”

"Zilong thinks that Liu Bei went to Yuzhou, where will he choose to start a war with Cao Jun?" Lu Bu asked.

Zhao Yun said with a smile: "I can only find out the news, as for where he will start a war with Cao Jun, I have to analyze it by Pang Gong." ”

The eyes of the three generals all fell on Pang Tong's face.

Pang Tong took out a map, spread it out on the table and said to the servants: "This map was made by Jun Gongzi, Gongzi made a few copies, and I was fortunate to get one." ”

Lu Bu and the others got together, looking at the map that was so detailed that almost even the villages were marked, Wei Yan said: "At the beginning, Gongzi ordered Jun Gongzi to survey the terrain of various places and draw maps, but I didn't expect to draw so many places. ”

"The territory of the Han Dynasty is almost finished by Jun Gongzi." Pang Tong said: "The next time he sends a map, it should be Wuhuan, Xiqiang and other places." ”

"In the past few years, Jun Gongzi has traveled a lot of places." Lu Bu said: "I don't quite understand why Gongzi wants him to draw the map of the barbarian land. ”

"Childe's mind is not only in the Central Plains and Jianghuai and other places." Pang Tong said: "Once the Central Plains is pacified, the map of the barbarian land will come in handy. ”

Lu Bu and the others nodded one after another, and Zhao Yun asked, "Pang Tong, where do you think Liu Xuande will start a war with the Cao family?" ”

Moving his finger on the map and pressing a place name, Pang Tong said, "It should be here." ”

"Bowang?" Lu Bu said in surprise: "There are many mountains here, which are not suitable for the army to advance, how can he ......?"

"Not suitable for a large army to advance, but suitable for ambush." Pang Tong said: "Liu Xuande's soldiers and horses cannot pass smoothly, and the soldiers of the Cao family will also be hindered. There were only 20,000 or 30,000 Jingzhou troops who followed him into battle, and they were not the opponents of the Cao family at all. If it were me, I would choose the Bowang garrison and lead Cao's army to the decisive battle. ”

"He avoided Lujiang, what should we do?" Lu Bu asked, "Could it be that you are waiting here?" ”

"Liu Xuande chose to avoid the Lujiang River, but we can't let him go too freely." Pang Tong said: "There are soldiers and horses under the command of Cao Gong in front, as long as the soldiers of our army follow Liu Xuande, take advantage of his defeat and retreat, and then step forward to cover up and kill." ”

"Shi Yuan means to wait until Liu Bei withdraws his troops, and we will intercept and kill them halfway?" Lu Bu asked.

"Exactly." Pang Tong replied: "There is no chance of winning, Liu Bei will withdraw if he gets the benefits." What we have to do is to make his withdrawal not so smooth. ”

"Childe's plan is not to intercept Liu Bei." Wei Yan said on the side: "Childe is going to ......"

"It's for us to hit Xiangyang." Pang Tong said: "With our little people, we can't do it at all. If my expectation is correct, when Liu Bei is defeated, Gongzi should lead the army to fight in person. ”

"In other words, Childe plans to take Jingzhou?" Zhao Yun followed and asked.

"It's not easy to take Jingzhou." Pang Tong shook his head and said: "Childe's plan should be to come to Xiangyang City, so that Liu Biao will never dare to covet the Cao family from now on." Now that the Yuan family has not been breached, the Cao family has no plans to go south. Jingzhou Liu Biao and Jiangdong Sun are feuding again, leaving Liu Biao behind, which is a barrier for the Cao family. ”

"I'm not interested in Liu Biao, as long as I can kill Liu Bei's big-eared thief, everything else is easy to say." Lu Bu asked, "When are we going to send troops?" ”

"Liu Bei has already sent troops, and we shouldn't delay it for too long." Pang Tong said to Zhao Yun: "General Zhao, the army's food and grass depend on you. ”

(End of chapter)